Pick-up device



R. P. SHARP PICK-UP DEVICE Filed June 18, 1937 INVNTOR.

Hinbev' Shall-1F v Patented Jan. 31, 1939 f l UNITED STATES PATENT OFI-TCE PICK-UP DEVICE Robert Perry Sharp, Uvalde, Tex., assigner to Sharp da" Company, Uvalde, Tex., a corporation t Application June 18', 1937, Serial No. 149,029

claims. `(c1. 294-115) f i(A Arfurther'object of thef invention is to providey af-jawffhaving an improved integral operating or f controlling arm,

A stillr further object is to provide a pick-up device includingl jaws having crossedy control arms lioperated throughjarr'improved stirrup connection; n

. Another important object,- is to provide a pick;- upvdevice which will not'tendi to injure relatively soft or delicateAv articles such as candyy bars, or

Y 20,' their` wrapper-s.

f Still; another object is to provide a pick-up device forv use in. dispensing articles or products such asi candybars, and'Y having predetermined jaw opening and closing positions tending toprez-,fventpicking up articles or products of a size,

shape: ornumerical quantity other than that intended to be handled by such pick-up device.

Other objects are to provide a pick-up device which may be economically produced, easily l30 cleaned and not liable to become clogged upon handling of soft articles.

t Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accomypan'ying drawing, forming a part of this specication and in which:-

Figure l is a view in side elevation of the improved pick-up device, the jaws thereof being closed. f 4,0'y Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in end elevation showing the jaws in their open positions.

Figure 4 is a perspective detail view of one of 4.5 the jaws.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of i1- lustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein similar reference characters Vdesignate corresponding parts throughout the 50` several Views, the improved pick-up device I0 `may include an elongate tubular housing II over vone end portion I2 of whichr is secured a sleeve I3 terminating in a thick rectangular il-ange I4 rand provided with an axial cylindrical opening o5 I5. Extending transversely through opposite yend portions I6 of the rectangular flange in coaxial relation to rounded edges I1 of saidend y portions are rotatable pins I8 whose end portions I9 project from opposite sides of the flange.

A pair of interchangeable parallelogrammatic 5?' sheet metal pivoted jaws 28 is provided, each including a bifurcated end portion 2| terminatingA in curled sleeves 22 secured to the pins I8 at their opposite end portions I9v as by solder 23';

and av free end portion 24 terminating in a series 104v of relatively short teeth 25 arcuately projecting from the inner jaw face 26; and arcuate notches' forming tooth spaces 21 between thev teeth 25. As shown in Figure l, the jaws may extend some'- what obliquely from their pivot end portions 2I 15 to theirr free' end portions 24, so that the teeth .25y of one jaw will be arranged in staggered relation with the teeth ofthe other jaw, and in alignment with the tooth spaces 21'. Intermediate its ends; each jaw is cut or pressed along af- 20- substantially U-shaped line 28 preferably arcuately divergent toward its opposite ends 29for-ming an elongate slo-t 30 and an elongate arm 3 I havingv a widened end 32 integralv with the' jaw' adjacent its pivot end portion 2|. end 32 may project from the outer jaw face 33 and be. providedlwith: an arcuate return bend 34 so that the free end 35 may extend through the slot and project obliquely beyond the inner jaw face 26. The arm may be provided with a sub- 30 stantially 90 twist 36 as it passes through the slot, as shown in the drawing, so that with the jaws pivotally mounted on the pins I8 with their inner faces 26 in confronting relation, each arm 3I may cross the other with its free end 35 ac- 35 commodated in the slot 30 out of which the other arm was cut or pressed. As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the longitudinal axes of the slots 30 may be laterally oifset from the longitudinal axes of the jaws 20, to facilitate crossing of the arms, Extending through the housing is an operating shaft 3l having one end portion 38 projecting from the opening I5 of the sleeve I3 and rigidly carrying a sleeve 39 terminating in bifurcated extensions 40 embracing the arms 3I and provided 45 with spaced apart rung-like cross pins 4I-42 forming a stirrup connection through which the crossed portions of the arms. 3I extend. By this construction jaws 20 may be quickly assembled into place or detached from the frame, since the arms 3| extend loosely thru the stirrup connection between the pins 4I--42. These pins are spaced apart a sufficient distance when the jaws 20 are open to the extent desired, as shown by way of example in Figure 3, the arms 3| will bind on 55 This widenedv 26 pins 4|-42 and limit the spreading movement of the jaws 20.

Secured over the other end 43 of the housing and over the opposite projecting end portion M of the operating shaft are spaced apart annularV K jaws to their closed position as shown in Figure 2 wherein only the outer cross pin 4l bears against the crossed arms and wherein the free ends of the arms are retained in the slots adjacent the twisted portions 36. By pressing the finger pieces i5- 56 toward each other, the stirrup connection may be moved away from the pivot ange il? whereupon the inner cross pin l2 will contact and impart opening movement to the jaws and will increase the inclination ofthe crossed arms untii a position is reached as shown in Figure 3 wherein the arms are so inclined as to contact both pins 3i-2, and prevent further lopening.

movement of the jaws.

Upon positioning the opened jaws in straddling relation about an article, and releasing the pressure on the nger pieces, the spring 4&3 will urge the jaws into engagement with the article, which may, of course, be released when desired by merely re-eXerting the pressure on the linger pieces.

It will thus be seen that an improved pick-up device has been provided including jaws pivotally movable within predetermined limits tending to prevent handling of articles of a size, shape or quantity other than those intended. By providing the Wide jaws with relatively short teeth. soft articles such as candy bars and their wrappers may be handled without injury.

Various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without de parting from the spirit of the invention or thev scope of the following claims.

I claim: 1. In a handling implement, a frame, a pair of jaws, means pivoting said jaws to the frame in opposed interchangeable relation, said jaws being provided at their free ends each with a similar series of alternate teeth and tooth spaces, said jaws extending obliquely from the pivot means toward their free ends so that the teeth of one jaw align with the tooth spaces of the other jaw, and means carried by the frame for operating said jaws.

2. A handling implement including a frame, a pair of jaws pivoted each at one end to the frame, said jaws each including an obliquely projecting arm and an elongate slot, said arms being crossed intermediateV said jaws, and said slots each accommodating the free end of the arm of the opposite jaw.

3. A'jaw of sheet material provided with'an operating arm having a fixed end integral with the jaw and a free end portion pressed from said sheet material forming a slot in said jaw, said free end portion projecting from one side of the jaw and being bent upon itself so as to extend through the slot to and beyond the opposite side of the J'aw.

4. A jaw of sheet material provided with an operating arm having a Xed end integral with the jaw and a free end portion pressed from said sheet material forming a slot in said jaw, said free end portion projecting from one side of the jaw and being bent upon itself so as to extend through the slot to and beyond the opposite side of the jaw, and twisted in passing through the slot.

gate frame', a pair of jaws in spaced apart relation and pivoted adjacent one end of the frame, an arm for each of said jaws, said arms extending in crossed diagonal relation between the jaws, a reciprocable control rod carried by the frame and extending into the space between said jaws, a bifurcated member on said rod embracing said arms at their crossed portions, and spaced cross pins carried by said bifurcated member for engagement with the longitudinal edges of said arms.

ROBERT PERRY SHARP.

5. A handling implement comprising an elon- 

